Department for Transport

Department for Transport: Senior Civil servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of his Department.

Mr John Hayes: The department is not able to provide the requested personal information on the basis that individuals could be identified, which would breach section 40(2) of the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Railways: Disability

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements there are for train operating companies to consult with disabled passengers and groups representing disabled people on the provision of signage and information as part of the development of those companies' Disabled People's Protection Policy; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard: Train and station operators are required by their operating licence to establish and comply with a Disabled People's Protection Policy (DPPP). This sets out how they facilitate access to their services and is approved and monitored by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). ORR’s approval is based on compliance with published guidance, which requires operators to describe who they have consulted with; this could include customer panels or advisory groups. In addition, operators are expected to explain in their DPPP how they will work with local authorities to ensure that stations are clearly and consistently signposted. Operators must also have due regard to the Department for Transport Code of Practice on ‘Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations’. This code includes requirements relating to signage. As part of the approval process for each operator, ORR consults with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), Transport Focus, and London TravelWatch, where appropriate.

Department for Transport: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many former prisoners have been employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

Mr John Hayes: After a provisional offer of employment is made, candidates are asked to disclose unspent convictions and then a criminal record check is undertaken as a part of the Baseline Personnel Security Standard; however, no documentation regarding criminal history is retained by the Department, nor transferred to the employees’ personnel records.

Home Office

Home Office: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many security passes into her Department are issued to people (a) not directly employed by and (b) who are not civil servants who work in her Department.

Sarah Newton: I am sorry but this information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Licensing Laws

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of local authorities' capacity to implement early morning restriction orders on the sale of alcohol.

Sarah Newton: In 2014 the Home Office sought feedback from local authorities which had consulted on implementing an Early Morning Alcohol Restriction Order (EMRO), and from others which had not actively considered an EMRO. The Home Office has not recently assessed local authorities’ capacity to implement EMROs.

Slavery: Convictions

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2015 to Question 48815, how many convictions for slavery and human trafficking there have been under each of the new offences following the passage of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 since the criminal justice provisions in that Act commenced on 31 July 2015.

Sarah Newton: Data on convictions on a principle offence basis are currently only available for 2015. There were no convictions relating to modern slavery or trafficking offences between 1 August and 31 December 2015. Data on convictions for 2016 are not currently available.

Immigration: Afghanistan

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum or visa applications from Afghan interpreters formerly employed by the armed forces were refused in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Knives: Amnesties

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce a knife amnesty in England and Wales.

Sarah Newton: Tackling knife crime is a priority for the Government. Knife amnesties are an operational matter for individual police forces, and we have been encouraging police forces to undertake national coordinated weeks of action to tackle knife crime under Operation Sceptre. Action under Operation Sceptre includes police forces targeting habitual knife carriers, undertaking weapon sweeps of local areas, test purchases of knives from retailers, and highlighting the location of surrender bins where knives can be handed in locally. Twenty one forces took part in the most recent week of national action in October 2016.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress has been made on implementing the processes required to enforce the Proceeds of Crime Act systems.

Sarah Newton: The Government set out the steps it will take to improve the use of confiscation orders in Treasury Minutes (CM 9351) in November 2016. These steps include the publication of an Action Plan on Asset Recovery this year. In addition, the Criminal Finances Bill, which will provide law enforcement agencies with new and strengthened powers to investigate and recover criminal assets, is currently before the House.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Green Investment Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what consultation took place with non-management level staff at the Green Investment Bank on its privatisation.

Mr Nick Hurd: Green Investment Bank staff at all levels of the organisation have been kept appropriately updated as the sale process has progressed.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sudan: Christianity

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the sentence given to Reverend Hassan Abduraheem, Petr Jasek and Abdumonem Abdumawla in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are deeply concerned by the verdict in the case against Pastor Hassan Abduelraheen Kodi, Petr Jasek, and Abdulmonem Abdumawlla. We are aware that the defendants have the right to appeal. Officials from our Embassy in Khartoum were present in court for the verdict, and together with our international partners, coordinated attendance at all hearings since their initial arrest. We have regularly raised our concerns over this case directly with the Government of Sudan, most recently on 22 January; and we will continue to do so as part of our ongoing human rights dialogue.More widely, freedom of religion or belief in Sudan remains a concern. We continue to urge the Government of Sudan to uphold the commitments of the Interim Constitution of 2005, within which religious freedom is enshrined.

Sudan: Religious Freedom

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effect on freedom of religion or belief in Sudan as a result of the verdict in the recent case related to Reverend Hassan Abduraheem, Petr Jasek and Abdumonem Abdumawla in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are deeply concerned by the verdict in the case against Pastor Hassan Abduelraheen Kodi, Petr Jasek, and Abdulmonem Abdumawlla. We are aware that the defendants have the right to appeal. Officials from our Embassy in Khartoum were present in court for the verdict, and together with our international partners, coordinated attendance at all hearings since their initial arrest. We have regularly raised our concerns over this case directly with the Government of Sudan, most recently on 22 January; and we will continue to do so as part of our ongoing human rights dialogue.More widely, freedom of religion or belief in Sudan remains a concern. We continue to urge the Government of Sudan to uphold the commitments of the Interim Constitution of 2005, within which religious freedom is enshrined.

British Nationals Abroad: Security

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the security risks to British citizens living in the countries listed for a potential travel ban to the US.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice for these countries offers information and advice about safety and security risks.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Attorney General, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of the Law Officers' Departments.

Robert Buckland: Due to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 which protects individuals’ personal information and data, this information is being withheld.

Attorney General: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney General, how many former prisoners have been employed by the Law Officers' Departments in each of the last five years.

Robert Buckland: No former prisoners have been employed in the past five years in the Law Officers’ Departments.

Department for Education

Schools: Standards

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with providers on her Department's review of baseline assessment.

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans formally to consult on plans to reform (a) primary assessment and (b) baseline assessment.

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent meetings officials of her Department have had with providers of reception baseline assessment models.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State set out, in her statement to Parliament about primary assessment of 19 October 2016, our intention to launch a public consultation on the future of primary assessment in England. That statement made it clear that the consultation exercise, which will commence in the near future, will consider the best starting point to measure the progress that children make in primary school.Separate to future policy considerations, the Department is in contract with those providers it approved to offer an optional reception baseline assessment to schools in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 academic years. As contract managers, Departmental officials are in regular contact with these providers regarding the operation of these optional baseline assessments. In such meetings, the Department does not discuss future policy, or the design of any new baseline assessment.Robert Coe, Director of the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Durham University (one of the current reception baseline providers) does advise the Department on general assessment policy issues as an expert in the field. He was a member of the Commission on Assessment Without Levels set up by the Department in 2015, at which point he made a formal declaration of interests. Mr Coe attended a meeting, among other experts, on 10 May 2016, with myself and Departmental officials, to discuss primary assessment. This included discussion of how best to measure progress in primary schools. In meeting educational experts, and in all its work, the Department is mindful of the need to manage appropriately any potential conflict of interest.

Schools: Staff

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2017 to Question 60334, and with reference to the Answer of 10 June 2015 to Question 856, whether the figures supplied in those answers for the average salaries of teaching assistants in November 2013 and November 2015 were calculated on the same basis.

Nick Gibb: The following table shows the time series of average salaries for full-time teaching assistants in all state funded schools in England. Figures for 2010 are not available. All Full-time Teaching Assistants2011£18,8002012£18,8002013£19,0002014£19,0002015£19,200Source: School Workforce CensusSalaries are rounded to the nearest £100. These figures are consistent with those published in PQ60334 published in Hansard, which is available at the following web link: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-01-17/60334The figures published in the answer of 10 June 2015 to Question 856 included both full and part-time teaching assistants. The preference is to show salaries for full-time teaching assistants because the salary data for part-time teaching assistants is not always provided on a comparable basis.

Education: Staff

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2017 to Question 60976, if her Department will gather data on the number of (a) school teachers and (b) education sector workers who have been on leave of absence from work due to mental illness in each year since 2010.

Nick Gibb: Responsibility for the mental health and wellbeing of all staff in schools is primarily a matter for local employers. Accordingly, all school governing bodies and local authorities need to ensure that they have in place appropriate mechanisms to identify and address the causes of mental health absence and are providing the right support to individuals to guard against the loss of staff working days where this is possible. It is important that head teachers and governing bodies look closely at tackling an issue that will inevitably have an impact on children’s education. The Government believes that the annual School Workforce Census captures sufficient information regarding the sickness absences of teachers. We trust head teachers, governors, and academy trusts to look after the welfare of their staff and ensure they have the support they need.

Teachers: Recruitment

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to expand the International Teacher Recruitment Strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education is supporting a pilot project to recruit qualified mathematics and physics teachers from overseas. We will review the pilot project to inform plans for the future.We recently signed an agreement with the Spanish Ministry of Education to join their Visiting Teachers programme. It provides opportunities for schools to recruit qualified teachers from Spain. Visiting teachers will be available from September 2017 for a year, with options to extend the programme where appropriate.

Primary Education: Literacy

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the total spend on literacy programmes for children under seven in  in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Good standards in reading and writing are the foundation for all achievement in education. Evidence shows that systematic synthetic phonics is the most effective approach to early reading, and that is why we have placed it at the heart of the primary English curriculum.We have invested over £50m over the last five years in programmes aimed at improving reading, writing and language skills. This includes:a one off grant of £5 million to Teaching Schools to partner with local nurseries to increase the quality of early years education in their area;£13.1 million to Book Trust for book gifting programmes to improve literacy and promote the love of reading;£941,775 for the National Literacy Trust’s Helping Early Language and Literacy Outcomes programme.£23.7 million in match funding to over 14,000 primary schools between September 2011 and October 2013, enabling them to buy systematic synthetic phonics products and training;£80,000 to fund eight phonics partnerships to improve the quality of phonics teaching; and£30,069 to fund ten phonics roadshows to demonstrate most effective ways to teach phonics. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of year 1 has risen from 58% in 2012 to 81% in 2016.The Department is not responsible for education standards in Wales as this is a devolved matter.

Schools: Data Protection

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department takes to ensure that commercial organisations which sell access to school websites and teachers' emails do so securely and responsibly.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education provides advice to help schools understand their obligations and duties in relation to the Data Protection Act 1998 (the DPA).This advice is underpinned by a supplier self-certification scheme which can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cloud-software-services-and-the-data-protection-act

Department for Education: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many former prisoners have been employed by her Department in each of the last five years.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department does not hold this information.

Schools: Finance

Oliver Dowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to announce further character award grants.

Edward Timpson: The Department awarded character grants in the last two years to celebrate the excellent variety of character programmes inside and outside schools across the country. In addition to this, the department also invited bids for the 2016/17 character grants, which we are currently considering.

First Aid: Education

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy for first aid and CPR to be taught in all schools.

Edward Timpson: All schools are required to teach a balanced and broadly based curriculum that prepares pupils for adult life. The new national curriculum focuses on the essential knowledge so that teachers can design a wider school curriculum that best meets the needs of their pupils. Many schools already choose to include CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillator awareness as part of their PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) teaching. The non-statutory PSHE programme of study produced by the PSHE Association, teaches young people how to recognise and follow health and safety procedures, ways of reducing risk and minimising harm in risky situations, and how to use emergency and basic first aid. Many schools also make use of organisations such as the Red Cross and St John Ambulance, to provide information to young people about first aid and dealing with emergencies.

Department for Education: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the total pay bill was for (a) male and (b) female employees in her Department in 2015-16; and what the per capita spend from that pay bill for each man and woman was in that year.

Caroline Dinenage: The total pay bill for 2015/16 as published in our annual report was £190,126,000. This full-year figure is derived from our financial systems and cannot be broken down by gender. We can provide the following information as at March 2016 from our HR system: March 2016Female HeadcountFemale Mean SalaryMale HeadcountMale Mean SalaryDepartment for Education (including Government Equalities Office)13153937093541000Education Funding Agency4854131040047030Standards and Testing Agency80371904038890The National College for Teaching and Leadership1853447010036320

Department for Education: Third Sector

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2016 to Question 56626, for what reasons information that was held centrally from 2010 to 2014 on which charitable organisations her Department funds is no longer held centrally.

Caroline Dinenage: The Department’s financial system has never held information centrally that distinguished suppliers belonging to the voluntary and charitable sector. A manual process to identify them was discontinued in May 2014, when it was no longer required by the Cabinet Office.

Pre-school Education

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Ofsted early years inspectors are employed (a) nationally and (b) in each region.

Caroline Dinenage: Ofsted has stated that, at present, it directly employs 106 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Early Years Inspectors, which is a head count of 108. This is broken down regionally by FTE as follows:RegionNumber of Inspectors (FTE)East Midlands9.2East of England11.6London19.8North East, Yorkshire and Humber14.7North West11.9South East17.8South West11.0West Midlands10.0 Until 31 March 2017, early years inspection will also be delivered through contracts with two external inspection service providers, Prospects and Tribal. From 3 April 2017 all early years inspection will be delivered by Ofsted. Ofsted anticipates that it will transfer in a total of 167 people to directly employed inspection roles from these providers. This will be supplemented by an additional 277 contracted inspectors.This new workforce will be managed centrally for a period of two years and during this time Ofsted plans to transition the central workforce to Ofsted’s regional structure.

Ministry of Justice

Huntercombe Prison

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of a prisoner's incarceration is at HM Prison Huntercombe; and for what reasons prisoners leave that prison.

Dr Phillip Lee: The average length of time prisoners currently spend at HM Prison Huntercombe is 6 months. Prisoners may leave the prison for a range of reasons because they have reached their Early Removal Scheme (ERS) date and are being deported or because are moving to detention ordered by the Home Office or are being released on licence.

Legal Systems: Islam

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much government funding was given to Sharia councils in the UK in each of the last three years.

Sir Oliver Heald: Community organisations may apply to various Government Departments for a range of grants for particular purposes. Information on whether Sharia councils received such grants over this period could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Justice: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of her Department.

Dr Phillip Lee: In order to safeguard employee personal data and comply with the Data Protection Act, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is unable to provide this information.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many former prisoners have been employed by her Department in each of the last five years.

Matt Hancock: The information requested is not held centrally.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Staff

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff of her Department at what grades are employed in the youth policy team.

Mr Rob Wilson: The full time equivalent resource, by grade, currently employed in the Youth Policy Team is as follows:1.2 at SCS15 at A grade7 at B gradeThis does not include vacancies.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of her Department.

Matt Hancock: Due to provisions under the Data Protection Act (1988), we are unable to release information about specific individuals. Details of DCMS Ministers and Senior Officials are published at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-culture-media-sport

Broadband: Rural Areas

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release of 22 December 2016, whether the £440 million made available for superfast rural broadband only includes costs for traditional and fibre-optic cables; and if she will make a statement.

Matt Hancock: The Superfast Rollout programme is technology neutral. This could include Fibre-to-the-cabinet or fibre-to-the-premises solutions along with GFAST, Remote nodes and Fixed wireless or a mix of these

Broadband: Rural Areas

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's press release of 22 December 2016, whether the £440 million made available for superfast rural broadband will include funding to cover difficult installations or provide access to isolated neighbourhoods.

Matt Hancock: The money returned to projects by efficiency savings and gain-share will be invested using the same criteria set out for the earlier phases of superfast rollout. This means it will focus on areas where there is not commercial competition, and prioritised by value-for-money installations to connect the largest number of premises who do not receive superfast speeds. Urban areas have generally been excluded from Superfast Programmes as commercial competition already exists in these locations.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total pay bill was for (a) male and (b) female employees in her Department in 2015-16; and what the per capita spend from that pay bill for each man and woman was in that year.

Matt Hancock: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not hold the information in the format as requested. The total 2015-16 pay costs and average number of permanent persons employed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport can be found on the Annual report and accounts, page 98, at the following linkDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport Annual Report & Accounts 2015-16 Pay bill figures for men and women in each department can vary significantly based on representation at different grades and how many staff in the department are in full or part time work. A more meaningful way of considering existing pay disparities amongst men and women would be to look at each department’s gender pay gap. The Civil Service has been publishing mean and median gender pay gaps for each department since 2008 as part of the annual release of Civil Service Statistics by the Office for National Statistics. The latest gender pay gap data (published in October earlier this year) can be found on the Office for National Statistics website.

Data Protection: EU Law

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many officials in her Department are working on preparations to implement the General Data Protection Regulation.

Matt Hancock: The Department for Culture Media and Sport leads on data protection policy, which includes implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). There are around 21 officials in the Department contributing to implementation of the GDPR, with many departments across Government also supporting the work.

Department for Work and Pensions

Carers: New Enterprise Allowance

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the New Enterprise Allowance is not available to carers on income support.

Damian Hinds: For those with caring responsibilities, Income Support is in place to support them while they provide ‘substantial and regular’ care. We have not made this group eligible for New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) as it would be unreasonable to require them to spend a significant amount of time developing a business on top of their caring responsibilities. If they feel they do have the time to participate in the NEA they are entitled to change their claim to Jobseekers Allowance and could then be eligible for NEA.

Jobcentres: North East

Mr Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on which date a Minister of his Department last visited a jobcentre in (a) North Tyneside and (b) the North East.

Caroline Nokes: The date of the last ministerial visit to a jobcentre specifically in North Tyneside could only be provided at disproportionate costs. The last ministerial visit to a jobcentre in the North East was on 18 January 2017. When the Minister for Employment, Damian Hinds MP, visited Newcastle City.

Social Security Benefits

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria were used to determine individual need in setting the rate of jobseeker's allowance and the lower rate of employment and support allowance for a single adult at £73.10 per week.

Damian Hinds: The level of Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance awarded depends on the claimant’s individual circumstances. The main components of Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance are the personal allowances, paid according to age and family status. In many cases the basic rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance is just one element of the total package of support that a person receives, with additional flat rate premiums payable for groups recognised as having additional needs, such as disability.

Universal Credit

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the level of rent arrears of universal credit recipients who are tenants in temporary accommodation in universal credit pilot areas.

Damian Hinds: The information requested is not currently available. DWP are undertaking work to investigate the issue of rent arrears in Universal Credit, it aims to understand the true level of rent arrears and what is causing them.

Jobcentres: Sheffield

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of employees at Eastern Avenue Jobcentre, Sheffield whose mobility rule within their contract will be breached by the decision to close that jobcentre.

Damian Hinds: The Department for Work and Pensions is now consulting with colleagues at Eastern Avenue Jobcentre, Sheffield. We are seeking to relocate, or offer alternative roles, to all employees affected by the proposed closure.It is important to stress that this is a proposed closure: we will make a final decision informed by the consultation process with our colleagues. The Department for Work and Pensions will not breach the mobility rules within employee’s contracts. If an employee moved outside of their contractual mobility it would only be with their agreement.

Department for Work and Pensions: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many security passes into his Department are issued to people (a) not directly employed by and (b) who are not civil servants who work in his Department.

Caroline Nokes: All security passes are issued locally and controlled by each office, and centrally held records are not kept. Therefore, the information you have requested is not readily available.

Ministry of Defence

Sennybridge Storage Compound

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civilian personnel are employed at Sennybridge Storage Compound on a (a) permanent and (b) temporary basis.

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel are based at Sennybridge Storage Compound on a (a) permanent and (b) temporary basis.

Mark Lancaster: “A Better Defence Estate” is a military led review. The Sennybridge Storage Compound is not required to support military capability after 2024. There are currently no civilian or military personnel employed at Sennybridge Storage Compound on a permanent or temporary basis.

Ministry of Defence: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many security passes into his Department are issued to people (a) not directly employed by and (b) who are not civil servants who work in his Department.

Mark Lancaster: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq: Military Intervention

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what reports his Department has received on the mistreatment of Sunni Arab refugees by Kurdish forces following the offensive of Mosul.

Mike Penning: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is aware of some reports of the mistreatment of civilians by Kurdish forces engaged in the liberation of Mosul. Both Prime Minister Abadi and Kurdish Regional President Barzani have been clear that International Humanitarian Law must be respected and that any allegations of violations will be investigated and those responsible held to account.The MOD takes its role in upholding and promoting human rights very seriously. UK troops carrying out building partner capacity training in the Kurdish region of Iraq include International Humanitarian Law as an integral part of that training and the UK continues to lobby the Government of Iraq, Kurdish Regional Government and other authorities to respect International Humanitarian Law.

Defence: Expenditure

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of gross domestic product spent on defence by each other NATO member state.

Mike Penning: The information requested is published regularly by NATO. The most recent figures (from July 2016) are in Table 3 of NATO's Press Release CommuniquePR/CP(2016)116 of 4 July 2016, which can be found at http://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/pdf_2016_07/20160704_160704-pr2016-116.pdfThe UK is committed to spend 2% of GDP on defence every year of this decade in accordance with the NATO guidelines.

Iraq: Military Intervention

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what forecast his Department has made of the likely timescale for the full liberation of Mosul.

Mike Penning: Operations to free Mosul from Daesh rule are being led by the Iraqi security forces, with support from the Global Counter Daesh Coalition to which the UK is a key contributor. Following the announcement by Prime Minister Abadi of the successful liberation of Eastern Mosul, Iraqi forces are now preparing for operations to free the remainder of the city which are likely to start shortly.This will continue to be a challenging fight which will take time and patience and, while it would not be appropriate to predict a precise end date, I am confident that Iraqi forces will succeed in the next stage of these operations, as they have to date.

RAF St Athan

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his plans are for the future of his Department's Saint Athan estate; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster: A "Better Defence Estate" is a military led review.In announcing the strategy, I confirmed our proposal to consolidate the estate in Wales and create a specialist light infantry centre at St Athan. Our intent remains to relocate the RAF No. 4 School of Technical Training away from St Athan to co-locate with other military training facilities. As the Department had no long term requirement for the Super Hangar, the facility has been sold to enable Aston Martin Limited to develop a car production facility on the site. This is consistent with the decision in 2003 which transferred the majority of the St Athan site to the Welsh Government under a 125 year development lease.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Communities and Local Government: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of his Department.

Mr Marcus Jones: The Office for National Statistics annually publish Civil Service employment statistics which includes a breakdown of the Department's officials split by ethnicity, gender, and disability status. This information can be found on the Office for National Statistics website:https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/civilservicestatistics Details of educational background and socio-economic status are not publicly available or held centrally.

Communities and Local Government: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many former prisoners have been employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

Mr Marcus Jones: This information is not held centrally on either electronic or physical personnel records.

HM Treasury

Treasury: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many former prisoners have been employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

Simon Kirby: All HM Treasury employees, contractors and agency staff are subject to National Security vetting and are asked to disclose any criminal convictions which they may have, including spent, in accordance with the Rehabilitation of offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, and the Rehabilitation of offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 (Exceptions) Order 1979, and spent convictions may be taken into account where National Security is concerned. It is the Treasury's policy for reasons of confidentiality not to release full details relating to numbers of staff fewer than five, where to do so might lead to the identification of individual cases.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of his Department.

Mr David Jones: The information requested cannot be released as individuals may be identifiable. The Department for Exiting the European Union is committed to the creation of a diverse and inclusive working environment to ensure staff do not face any barriers to success, and all staff feel supported at work. As such, the Department is committed to the steps established in the 2016 Talent Action Plan to help the Civil Service become the most inclusive employer in the UK. The department is also committed to working with a diverse range of external organisations, to ensure our work reflects a broad range of opinions across the UK.

UK Trade with EU: Energy

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to UK rules on movement on the UK's negotiations relating to securing a trade agreement on energy with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The Government is currently considering all aspects of its future relationship with the EU, including the precise way in which we will control the movement of EU nationals to Britain after EU exit. We recognise the importance of having access to an affordable, secure and sustainable supply of energy for business and domestic use, as well as continued co-ordination on energy, including for nuclear safety and energy-related research.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many former prisoners have been employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

Mr David Jones: The Department for Exiting the European Union does not hold this information centrally as a large majority of staff are on loan. This information would be held by the Department issuing the clearance. All Civil Servants employed in this Department are subject to BPSS and security clearance checks.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Staff

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many former prisoners have been employed by his Department in each of the last five years.

Greg Hands: All offers of employment are subject to clearance through the appropriate vetting processes. Following successful clearance and the individual taking up their offer of employment with the department, any history of criminal convictions would not be held on a central personnel record.

UK Export Finance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether UK Export Finance staff ask for advice from diplomatic missions on agents when special handling arrangements apply.

Greg Hands: UK Export Finance consistently makes enquiries on the standing of agents with the relevant UK overseas diplomatic mission as part of its due diligence on applications that it receives. Its due diligence processes are the same whether or not the applicant has requested the use of special handling arrangements.

Trade Agreements

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2017 to Question 60711, with which other countries or groups of countries the Government is planning to enter trade negotiations after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: As the UK leaves the EU, we are looking at all opportunities to strengthen our trading relationships. Ministers and officials in DIT are working with counterparts in a wide range of markets to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade.Since the answer of 27 January, the Prime Minister has agreed with President Trump to take forward high-level talks to lay the groundwork for a UK-US trade agreement once we leave the EU, and to identify the practical steps we can take now. The Prime Minister also announced Joint Working Groups with Turkey and Israel to continue to progress our trade and investment relationships at present, and to prepare the ground for our post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Department for International Trade: Senior Civil Servants

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender, (c) disability status, (d) educational background and (e) socio-economic status is of the three most senior officials of his Department.

Greg Hands: The Department does not hold information centrally on educational background or socio-economic status of employees. To answer with the ethnicity, gender and disability breakdown of three most senior officials of the Department risks identification and breaching data protection principles.

Trade Agreements: Asia

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make it his policy to prioritise negotiating free trade agreements with (a) China, (b) Vietnam and (c) Indonesia when the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands: As the Prime Minister has said, we want to build a truly Global Britain - a great, global, trading nation that is one of the firmest advocates for free trade anywhere in the world. Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working with counterparts in a range of markets, including China, Vietnam and Indonesia, to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade. We are also using these discussions to address existing trade barriers between us and to consider options for strengthening our bilateral trading relationships.

Department for International Trade: Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many security passes into his Department are issued to people (a) not directly employed by and (b) who are not civil servants who work in his Department.

Greg Hands: I refer the hon Member for Hemsworth to the answer I gave him on 8 February 2017, UIN: 62539.

Department of Health

Department of Health: Recruitment

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many civil servants his Department plans to recruit in the next 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse of that recruitment will be.

David Mowat: The Department expects to recruit to approximately 340 posts over the next 12 months. All vacancies are advertised on the central Civil Service Jobs website, which does not attract additional costs.

Hospital Beds

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of recent trends in the level of availability of NHS beds.

Mr Philip Dunne: NHS England publishes quarterly information on the numbers of available and occupied beds open overnight or day only in National Health Service organisations, most recently for quarter 2 of 2016-17. National time series of these data are available at:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/bed-availability-and-occupancy/bed-data-overnight/andhttps://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/bed-availability-and-occupancy/bed-data-day-only/

NHS: Pay

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to restructure the most junior Agenda for Change pay bands to (a) pay the living wage and (b) maintain pay differentials.

Mr Philip Dunne: It is the Government’s policy that employees should be paid at least the statutory National Living Wage (NLW) introduced in April 2016 and this is the case for all National Health Service staff. NHS trades unions and NHS Employers continue to work in partnership to consider the impact of the NLW on the lowest pay bands within the Agenda for Change pay structure to ensure that staff continue to receive equal pay for work of equal value.Based on the current Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts, the NLW is unlikely to affect Agenda for Change staff in 2018/19 or 2019/20.

Nurses: Pay

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to implement a pay award for nursing staff in line with the retail price index.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Government makes its determinations on pay awards informed by recommendations from the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHS PRB). The Retail Price Index was discontinued as a national statistic. Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) is a standard measure for understanding changes in earnings in the context of inflation. It is used widely to determine a measure of the real value of earnings and is used by the Bank of England for its 2% inflation target. CPI is an internationally recognised inflation tracker which the independent Pay Review Body also recognise. We look forward to receiving this year's NHS PRB report shortly.

Childbirth

Maria Caulfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to allow registered birth certificates for children born from 20 weeks gestation.

Mr Philip Dunne: The Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, as amended, provides for the registration of babies born without signs of life after 24 weeks’ gestation, which is the legal age of viability. Parents of babies who are stillborn after 24 weeks’ gestation receive a medical certificate certifying the stillbirth and, upon registration, can register the baby's name and receive a certificate of registration of stillbirth. Parliament supported a change to the stillbirth definition from “after 28 weeks” to “after 24 weeks” in 1992, following a clear consensus from the medical profession at that time that the age at which a foetus should be considered able to survive should be changed from 28 to 24 weeks. Medical opinion does not currently support reducing this below 24 weeks of gestation. Therefore, there are no plans to amend the stillbirth definition. We are aware that some parents find it very distressing that they may not register the birth of a baby born before 24 weeks. However, it is important to recognise there would also be parents distressed at the possibility of having to do so. When a baby is born without signs of life before 24 weeks’ gestation, hospitals may issue a local certificate to commemorate the baby's birth.

Nurses: Training

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on increasing the number of nursing graduates.

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent UCAS statistics showing a 23 per cent reduction in applications to nursing courses; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of nursing graduates.

Mr Philip Dunne: At this stage of the application cycle, based on the data the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service published on 2 February, Health Education England (HEE) is confident that the National Health Service will be able to fill the number of nursing and midwifery training places in England. HEE has increased nurse training commissions by nearly 15% over the last three years and is forecasting that up to 40,000 additional nurses could be available to the NHS by 2020. In addition to the increase in training commissions, HEE has also implemented a number of steps to increase nurse numbers within the NHS. These include: - proactively promoting the Return to Practice programme, aimed at encouraging previously qualified nurses that have left the NHS, to update their skills and qualifications and return to practice within the NHS;- the provision of flexible routes into nursing for pre-existing support staff; and- working closely with universities to improve attrition rates from courses which will further increase the number of nursing students who graduate.

Hospital Beds

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of bed days lost owing to delayed transfers of care in NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement.

David Mowat: There has been an increase in delayed transfers of care over the past two years. This has resulted in pressure on the availability of hospital beds. The proportion of occupied bed capacity attributable to social care delays is estimated at 1.8% between April 2016 and November 2016, which is an increase of 0.8 percentage points over the same period in 2014-15. However, there is also a 20-fold difference in social care delays between the 10% best performing and 10% worst performing local authorities but not a 20-fold difference in funding. The Department, NHS England, NHS Improvement and local government are working together to provide a wide-ranging package of support to help local areas improve transfers out of hospital and reduce delays. This includes the implementation of best practice interventions such as: - home first or discharge to assess models of care - so patients are discharged quickly and safely to home or to step down care so they no longer need wait unnecessarily for assessments in hospital; and- trusted assessor models - using trusted assessors to carry out a holistic assessment of need avoids duplication and speeds up response times so that people can be discharged in a safe and timely way.

Mental Health Services

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of mental health service provision in (a) Coventry and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

Nicola Blackwood: The Government is working with partners in the National Health Service and elsewhere to deliver an ambitious programme that improves access to high quality mental health care for adults and children. NHS England’s Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health sets out the plans for the period this parliament. This programme will be backed by significant investment, which will reach an additional £1 billion by 2020/21. Last year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust as ‘Requires Improvement’ overall CQC and the Trust are working on an action plan to improve standards. We are informed by NHS England that local health commissioners have not advised them of any concerns about the adequacy of mental health service provision in Coventry. The local NHS advises that there are a number of actions in place to address recent increases in demand, including, five extra beds have been opened, on a temporary basis; any issues relating to Continuing Healthcare are being escalated to the clinical commissioning group, for resolution; there is a weekly meeting with senior managers and commissioners to find solutions to these issues and maintain flow; and commissioners are maintaining daily sight of the capacity across Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust.

Mental Health Services: Restraint Techniques

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the guidance on the use of face-down restraint in the NHS set out in the Positive and Safe initiative is properly implemented.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on implementing the recommendations and guidance of the Positive and Safe initiative.

Nicola Blackwood: Since the Coalition Government published Positive and Proactive Care: reducing the need for restrictive interventions in April 2014, the Department, with its partners, has taken a number of steps to implement its recommendations. These include the development of the Positive and Safe Champions Network to promote good practice in the reduction of restrictive interventions; the inclusion of information about the number and type of restraints in the Mental Health Services Dataset and the development of core standards for the training of staff in techniques of prevention and management of violence and aggression. The Department of Health and the Department for Education are working to produce, for consultation, new guidance on minimising the use of restraint on children and young people who have autism, learning disabilities or mental health issues, and whose behaviour challenges, in health and care settings and in special schools. Positive and Proactive Care introduced a requirement that services develop Restrictive Intervention Reduction Plans. These plans along with organisations’ relative use of restraint in comparison with other organisations, form a key focus of the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) inspections. We expect the CQC to use its regulatory powers to ensure that services minimise the use of restraint and other restrictive interventions, including face down restraint.

Mental Health Services: Children

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 3 May 2016 to Question 35295, whether the routinely collected data on clinical commissioning group expenditure on  children and young people's mental health services will be publicly available.

Nicola Blackwood: The Mental Health Five Year Forward View Dashboard was published in October 2016. The dashboard publishes data on a quarterly basis at clinical commissioning group level on planned spend on children and young people’s mental health services. This is split by total planned spend (excluding learning disabilities and eating disorders), and planned spend on eating disorders.

Social Services: Finance

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of changes to local authority social care budgets on the demand for health services.

David Mowat: There is a complex relationship between social care and National Health Service services. Research indicates that for each additional £1 spent on care homes, hospital expenditure falls by 35p. There is a twenty-fold difference between the best and the worst performing areas on delayed discharges of care. However, this is not linked to the levels of finance available to localities. There has been an increase in delayed transfers of care over the past two years. This has resulted in pressure on the availability of hospital beds. However, that should be viewed in the context of the proportion of occupied beds capacity attributable to social care delays increasing by 0.8% between 2014/15 and 2016. NHS England is working with the Department on a programme of work to identify a fuller understanding of the linkages between health and social care services.

NHS: Private Sector

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to (a) plan no further capital developments using the Private Finance Initiative and (b) place no further NHS contracts with private health firms.

Mr Philip Dunne: Major investments in new hospital buildings are, in general, undertaken by National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts, not by the Department. In producing their business cases, those organisations choose their planned procurement and financing routes and they are expected to do so with due regard to value for money and affordability, given the specifics of the facility that they are seeking to have built. HM Treasury is responsible for the policy on the use of ‘Private Finance 2’ (PF2), the successor to the Private Finance Initiative. Only one PF2 scheme is currently being taken forward in the NHS. With regard to the commissioning of patient care, any decision about use of the private sector is for local NHS commissioners. We are clear that patients should be able to access the best possible treatments based on quality of care, not the type of provider.

Cholesterol: Screening

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to genetic testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Nicola Blackwood: NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) are working to raise the profile of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and break down the barriers to genetic testing. NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Heart Disease chairs a FH steering group which comprises representatives from relevant stakeholder organisations including representation from PHE’s Healthcare Public Health Team. This group, with funding from the British Heart Foundation, has established FH specialist nurses in many areas of England, aimed at increasing FH cascade testing so that more affected families can be identified. The steering group aims to develop a systems approach to the detection and management of FH. Software to support cascade testing and provide a database for FH is available and will be increasingly used in England as FH services are established. NHS England has also identified FH as a possible condition that it could focus on as part of the work looking into personalised medicine and how the National Health Service might make better use of increased genetic testing. Finally, a cholesterol test is included as part of an NHS Health Check. Guidance alerts practitioners conducting the check to consider the possibility of FH in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Guidance. Emerging evidence shows that, compared to routine primary care practice, the NHS Health Check programme is detecting more cases of FH.

Detention Centres: Mental Health Services

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the report by the Centre for Mental Health, entitled Immigration Removal Centres in England: A mental heath needs analysis, published on 9 January 2017.

Nicola Blackwood: In response to the Centre for Mental Health report, NHS England, the Home Office and Public Health England Immigration Removal Centre Assurance Group have established a Mental Health Task and Finish group to consider the findings and recommendations. The first meeting was held in January and the group will meet again at the end of February.

Hypertension

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps the NHS has taken to tackle trends in blood pressure related complaints among people in their 50s.

Nicola Blackwood: In 2016, NHS RightCare published its Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention optimal value pathway, which outlines best practice care pathways to help improve CVD prevention, including opportunities to better detect, diagnose and control cases of high blood pressure. The pathway can be viewed here:https://www.england.nhs.uk/rightcare/intel/cfv/cvd-pathway/ NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention launched a new resource for clinical commissioning groups and general practitioners (GPs) ‘Blood Pressure – How Can We Do Better?’ It was developed by GPs, nurses and pharmacists working with partners including NHS England, Public Health England, the British Heart Foundation, the Stroke Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners. It can be accessed at:https://www.bhf.org.uk/bp-how-can-we-do-better NHS England is a member of the Blood Pressure System Leadership Board, established by Public Health England, to help drive improvements in the prevention, detection and management of high blood pressure. The NHS Health Check is a national programme that aims to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease, and raise awareness of dementia both across the population and within high risk and vulnerable groups. Between April 2013 and September 2016, 4.9 million people have benefitted from a blood pressure check as part of their NHS Health Check. Evaluation of the programme demonstrated that one case of hypertension is diagnosed in every 27 people receiving a check.

Hospitals: Hygiene

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the NHS is taking to disseminate guidance on the benefits to hygiene of people in hospitals washing their hands.

Mr Philip Dunne: Hand hygiene policies are a local responsibility, however, guidance and central support are available. For example, The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, which all providers in England must take account of, covers hand hygiene. The Code is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-and-social-care-act-2008-code-of-practice-on-the-prevention-and-control-of-infections-and-related-guidance In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quality standard on Infection Prevention and Control, which is endorsed by NHS England, the Royal Colleges and other professional bodies, includes a quality statement on hand decontamination. The statement is available at:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs61/chapter/Quality-statement-3-Hand-decontamination

Mental Health Services: Northern Ireland

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to establish the Mental Trauma Service in Northern Ireland proposed in the Stormont House Agreement.

Nicola Blackwood: This is a matter for the Department of Health in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Health Services

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding the Government provides to care for people affected by the troubles in Northern Ireland living in England.

Nicola Blackwood: Details of specific funding for people affected by the troubles in Northern Ireland living in England are not available. In England we make no special provision, but all British citizens living in England are fully entitled to National Health Service services.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on clinical trials to genetically modify human embryos by means of mitochondrial transfer techniques with the intention of bringing those human embryos to full term and giving birth to them; and what assessment he has made of the risks to the health of trial subjects.

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department funds alternative treatments for mitochondrial disorders that (a) can treat those born with mitochondrial disease and (b) do not involve the creation of genetically modified human embryos; and what plans he has to do so in the future.

Nicola Blackwood: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority decided on 15 December 2016 to allow the use mitochondrial donation for risk reduction treatments in certain cases where alternative treatments would be of little or no benefit to mothers at risk of passing mitochondrial disease onto their children. This decision was taken after considering the independent Expert Panel’s fourth report on the latest evidence of safety and efficacy and following a comprehensive and rigorous process of assessment and review of the scientific evidence over the last six years. Before any treatment is offered to affected families, there are still two more licencing processes to be completed. The first to ensure that the clinic meets the required suitability standards and the second a case by case assessment of each individual as required by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015. NHS England is the designated commissioner of the National Health Service service for mitochondrial donation and will fund the treatment costs of the service, alongside an evaluative research project funded by the Wellcome Trust, which will assess and monitor follow-up and outcomes. Mitochondrial donation does not fit within the definition in law of a clinical trial for the purpose of compliance with the EU Clinical Trial Directive 2001/20/EC. The Directive relates to clinical trials of medicinal products governed by the medicines licensing regime set out in the Medicinal Products Directive and is part of a suite of European measures which set out common rules across the European Union to ensure the free movement of safe medicines. The Government does not agree with the characterisation of mitochondrial donation as a form of genetic modification. The mitochondrial donation techniques do not involve the germ-line modification of nuclear DNA in the chromosomes that can be passed on to future generations, which is the Chief Medical Officer’s working definition of genetic modification in humans. NHS England nationally commissions the rare mitochondrial disease service for adults and children, which provides a comprehensive diagnostic service for patients suffering from mitochondrial disease.

Abortion: Gender Selection

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will conduct a more detailed investigation into sex-selective abortions in England which takes into account (a) women born in the UK to parents of a different nationality and (b) the sub-populations within those countries.

Nicola Blackwood: The Serious Crime Act 2015 contains a requirement that an assessment be carried out into evidence of gender abortions occurring in England, Wales and Scotland. In August 2015, the Department published an Assessment of termination of pregnancy on grounds of the sex of the foetus on the gov.uk website at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/abortion-on-grounds-of-sex-of-the-foetus A further analysis of birth ratios in the United Kingdom was published on the gov.uk website in July 2016 at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gender-ratios-at-birth-in-great-britain-2010-to-2014 No substantiated evidence was found of gender selective abortions taking place in Britain. The Department will continue to monitor this issue closely through repeating the analysis of birth ratios annually, and working with other Government Departments and researchers. This includes collaborating with a successful applicant to the Economic and Social Research Council on research into son preference and sex selection against females in the UK, which will look at evidence, causes, trends and implications and will begin in April 2017.

Alcoholic Drinks: Minimum Prices

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what response he plans to make to the Public Health England report which found minimum unit pricing to be a targeted intervention having the greatest effect on heavy drinkers while having a minimal effect on moderate drinkers.

Nicola Blackwood: The Government will consider the evidence set out in the Public Health England Alcohol Evidence Review over the next few months. The introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing in England and Wales remains under review pending the outcome of the legal case between the Scotch Whisky Association and the Scottish Government, and the impact of the implementation of this policy in Scotland.

Naloxone

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of availability of naloxone to treat drug-related disorders in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Lancashire.

Nicola Blackwood: Local authorities are responsible for assessing local need and commissioning substance misuse services, to meet that need. Naloxone provision is commissioned by local authority public health commissioners, working in partnership with local health commissioners. Public Health England (PHE) supports local authorities in this work and has provided advice on naloxone provision to commissioners. Following the report of the PHE inquiry into drug-related deaths in 2016http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/phe-understanding-preventing-drds.pdf work has continued on a programme of activity to map the provision of naloxone in England and support greater consistency in its provision and funding. PHE North West Centre is supporting this work including consultations with drug treatment service commissioners and providers in the North West, including Lancashire, to identify how naloxone is being provided and how we might improve its availability.

Family Planning

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government Equalities Office is taking to ensure that young women's life choices are not limited by unplanned parenthood.

Nicola Blackwood: The Department of Health is responsible for this policy area. Continuing to reduce under 18 pregnancies remains a priority, as highlighted by the inclusion of this indicator in the Public Health Outcomes Framework. Under 18 conceptions have reduced by 33% in England since 2010. Local authorities lead on action to reduce teenage pregnancy rates and provide dedicated support to young parents. Public Health England and the Local Government Association last year published a briefing for councillors highlighting the need for further progresshttp://www.local.gov.uk/publications/-/journal_content/56/10180/7661314/PUBLICATION and a Framework to support teenage mothers and young fathers which sets out the multi-agency contribution needed to improve outcomes for young parents and their children.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teenage-mothers-and-young-fathers-support-framework In the majority of councils pregnant teenagers and young mothers are receiving support from the Family Nurse Partnership which provides intensive support from a family nurse from early pregnancy until their child is two.

Women and Equalities

Government Equalities Office: Pay

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the total pay bill was for (a) male and (b) female employees in her Department in 2015-16; and what the average per capital spend from that pay bill was for men and women in that year.

Caroline Dinenage: The total pay bill for 2015/16 as published in our annual report was £190,126,000. This full-year figure is derived from our financial systems and cannot be broken down by gender. We can provide the following information as at March 2016 from our HR system: March 2016Female HeadcountFemale Mean SalaryMale HeadcountMale Mean SalaryDepartment for Education (including Government Equalities Office)13153937093541000Education Funding Agency4854131040047030Standards and Testing Agency80371904038890The National College for Teaching and Leadership1853447010036320